"...James Wigderson takes on local and state issues with intelligence and humor. Even those who disagree with Wigderson respect his thoughtfulness and grasp of political matters." Waukesha Freeman "Community members and columnists help make award-winning Opinion Page" February 5, 2009

Ohio 15th congressional district Democratic candidate Mary Jo Kilroy uses body doubles when she tires of having to deal with all of the little people she intends to represent.

Such was the case last week when Kilroy sent her campaign body double to represent her at the Plain City Steam Thresher parade. Apparently the Amish-dominated city was too tough a crowd for Kilroy to handle.

Do you think she uses a different body double to feature different physical attributes, depending on the crowd?

Congressman Robert Wexler is living a tale of two cities: the city where he lives and the city where he claims he lives. Where he lives, where his family lives and his kids got to school, is Washington DC. His claimed address is a senior community in Delray Beach, FL, with his parents. Of course, Wexler doesn’t exactly qualify to live in a senior community, which may explain why Democrats are against photo ID requirements.

What’s more embarrassing? Being caught not living in your district, or trying to claim you still live with your mommy?

Former Senator John Edwards proved once again he is not the psychic Jon Edward when he was caught leaving a hotel in the middle of the night after a rendezvous with the woman accused of having a child with Edwards. The National Enquirer has gotten this story twice, and on the second try seems to have really gotten the story. Edwards’ return to the well just ended his chance to be Senator Obama’s number two. I move that Edwards may be the dumbest politician since Gary Hart challenged the media to follow him. Do I hear a second?

I gotta ask, though. Why is his hair better than hers?

As Edwards fades into political retirement, we need a current politician as our Idiot Politician of the Week. Someone whose stupidity is truly world-class, which reminded us ofHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

“I have always loved longitude,” Nancy Pelosi says before breaking into laughter. “I love latitude; it’s in the stars. But longitude, it’s about time. ... Time and clocks and all the rest of that have always been a fascination for me.”

Who is she, George Costanza? No, she’s Super Speaker:

“I’m trying to save the planet; I’m trying to save the planet.”

You’d never guess she’s from California, would you?

But Pelosi at her most idiotic came on Friday when she lost control of events and had to shut down the House of Representatives to prevent a vote on more domestic drilling for oil. The budget is left undone, as is much of the legislative work this session.

Normally, the spending hiatus would be a useful byproduct of Congressional bickering. But in this case the shutdown is malign neglect. Surging energy prices act like a huge tax increase on the economy, since energy demand is relatively fixed over the short term. The price spike is imposing genuine hardships on middle-income and working-class voters across the country.

The Democratic leadership isn't oblivious to this man-at-the-pump reality. But Al Gore's vision of the apocalyptic tides of climate change perfectly expresses their mentality: Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid see soaring prices as a public good -- the mechanism that will force energy enlightenment on the U.S. If anything, they think the price of gas is too low. As recently as June, the Senate debated a multitrillion-dollar carbon tax-and-regulation scheme that was designed to boost energy costs. A new version will be a priority in the next Administration.

If nothing else, this summer's oil drilling stonewall is giving voters an insight into this ideology, which recoils at any oil, natural gas or coal production -- oh, and nuclear besides. That puts 93% of all U.S. energy off limits for expansion. Back in the real world, and barring a cold fusion or other miracle, the U.S. will remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades. A fresh round of domestic oil-and-gas exploration would ease the long-term pressures that supply and demand are exerting on prices, plus bolster energy security.

And those not bound by anticarbon theology are coming around. Broad margins of the American public -- now even a slim majority of Californians -- favor increasing domestic production.

Thanks Madam Speaker for reminding us why Congress has a lower approval rating than the President. And for those wonderful airhead statements and shutting down the House, you get to be our Idiot Politician of the Week.